At least 12 Turkish soldiers killed by methane gas poisoning in Iraq

This article was last updated on July 7, 2025

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At least 12 Turkish soldiers killed by methane gas poisoning in Iraq

During a viewing operation in a cave in Northern Iraq, at least twelve Turkish soldiers were killed by methane gas poisoning.

The soldiers were looking for the remains of a fellow soldier. He would have been killed in 2022 by fighters of the PKK, Kurdish Workers Party, says the Turkish Ministry of Defense.

A group of nineteen soldiers was exposed to the gas. Five of them died yesterday, today another seven. It is unknown how the remaining eight is doing.

The cave was used by the PKK as a temporary hospital. Over the past three years, Turkish storage teams have combined the area in search of the remains of the soldier.

President Erdogan says he has taken knowledge of the news “with great sorrow”. The Turkish Minister of Defense, Yaşar Güler, has traveled to the area. He will attend the farewell ceremonies of the deceased.

Operation Claw-Lock

The cave is at an altitude of 852 meters in a mountainous area in the province of Duhok, on the Turkish-Iraqi border. This was the place where operation “Claw-Lock” of the Turkish forces was performed, a military operation in 2022 against fighters of the PKK.

The PKK is seen by several countries and organizations, including the Netherlands and the EU, as a terrorist organization. In the past, Turkey has more often carried out military operations in the border areas with neighboring countries Iraq and Syria, where the PKK is concentrated.

In the meantime, the PKK has lifted itself. From prison, party leader Abdullah Öcalan recently asked the militants to lay down the weapons. The cancellation of the party was officially announced on 12 May.

It is expected that the militants will start returning their weapons in the coming days.

Methane gas

Methane gas is a colorless, odorless and flammable gas. It is not fatal in itself, but when exposing to high concentrations can lead to suffocation because methane in the body can displace oxygen.

Especially in closed spaces, such as a cave, there is not enough oxygen to breathe.